My Baby
by SoulMalady
Summary: After the war, Harry didn't expect to connect so deeply with his godson. The little bugger would have it no other way. Here are some one-shots of Harry and Teddy bonding. Updates whenever I write something new! Latest chapter: Kisses. He planted big, wet kisses on his baby brother's round cheeks and button nose and dimple chin. "You are such a big boy now."
1. Alive and kicking

**1. Alive and kicking**

Harry was woken up gently from his restless sleep. He could hardly open his eyes against the bright sun. "Hmm?" he mumbled.

"Sorry," Ginny whispered. "Are you alright?"

He wasn't sure what she was getting at. He rolled over onto his back and tried to rub his eyes open. "What's wrong?" he exhaled. He felt exhausted.

"It's alright if you want to sleep some more. I'll tell them to come back in-"

"I'm awake," he interrupted with a yawn. "What's wrong?" He pushed the blankets off of him and swung his legs over the bed, glad to feel warmth on the floor.

"Nothing, nothing," Ginny assured him. "Some Aurors are here to speak with you and Andromeda brought Teddy so you…"

Harry didn't hear the rest of her words as the events of the day before suddenly crashed into his mind. He clutched the bedding when a wave of nausea struck him. It was all over. He stifled his gasp and squeezed his eyes closed. Everything had changed now. Everything would be different.

Remus… And Fred…

Ginny stroked her boyfriend's cheek gently. "It's okay if you aren't up for it," she whispered. "I'll tell them to come back in a bit."

"N-no." He swallowed hard. He had already cried himself raw last night as soon as he had hidden under the bedding. He was drained now. He had to keep busy. He shouldn't be alone. "I'll be right down. Give me a second."

He couldn't remember falling asleep. He was at the Burrow. The beds on either side of him were empty. The Weasley brothers must have been up for a while. Glancing at the clock, he realized that it was already past noon. Once Ginny left him, he stood up and checked himself to make sure he wouldn't faint from hunger. His stomach was growling angrily at him. He had skipped dinner. He couldn't possibly eat after the harrowing experiences he had been through at Hogwarts. He shook out of his thoughts and padded to the bathroom to freshen up.

The Burrow was in mourning. All of England was in mourning. So many had died. But in their mourning, there was also triumph. The Dark Lord had been vanquished, slain by his own folly. Good had won. The nightmare was over. No one needed to run or cower any longer. There was peace once more, thanks to the Boy-Who-Lived and his sacrifice.

Harry looked up at his reflection after washing his face. Dark stubble showed across his jaw and his eyes were sunken in from lack of sleep. It can't be helped. He wouldn't look much better in the next few days until dust settled. For now this would do. He looked down at his mended wand. He had missed it. There was so much he would miss…

Ron found his friend sitting on the tiled floor of the bathroom, head downturned and hands pressed against his mouth. "Ah, come on, Harry…" He knelt down next to his shaken friend and ruffled his hair. "It's okay. We're okay now."

"I can't do this," Harry croaked. "I-I can't-"

Ron tsked and pulled him forward into a tight hug. "Sure you can. You can do anything."

But there was so much death and destruction around them now. He couldn't even begin to imagine. It scared him. The mere thought of funerals and grief scared him now. He didn't want to be around any more death. Ron had lost a brother. He couldn't bear it. Because of him… "I-I'm tired."

"It's okay," Ron murmured. "It's okay. Calm down."

It took him a few minutes to compose himself and, by then, it was very apparent that he was going to have a bad day. His eyes were swollen and bloodshot, his nose was red, and his words sounded very thick. But he managed to get dressed without losing to his thoughts and kept his eyes on the ground as he walked down for lunch with Ron at his side. "Is everyone else alright?" he asked quietly. "Molly didn't have to-"

"Mum wants to get her mind off of things right now. We'll let her have her kitchen, hmm?"

"Okay."

"Everyone is doing fine. They are downstairs."

"W-we should go visit Hagrid. I never got to-"

"We will, Harry," Ron said patiently. "One step at a time. We have all the time in the world."

Harry realized that Ron wasn't kidding about everyone being downstairs. There were _a lot_ of people in the living room and dining room when he walked in. It was a wonder he managed to sleep through this. The mild chatter died down as people noticed his arrival. He was met with faint smiles and concerned frowns. Not knowing how to respond, he nodded at them. Ron was ushering him towards the front door though. He followed without complaint.

Standing at the foyer were two Aurors in full uniform.

Harry nodded at them as well.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter. Sorry to intrude. We are from the Ministry. We just had a few questions to ask you."

"Of course," he answered them. Ron took his leave and left the three men alone.

"You are of age, yes?"

"Yes," he said.

"There will be a slew of trials at Wizengamot. They are being scheduled as we speak. Will you be willing to testify, Mr. Potter?"

Harry couldn't see why not, so he shrugged and nodded.

"And for a preliminary report, would you come down to the Ministry?"

"Okay."

"Tomorrow? Noon?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Second floor. Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"I know…" He shifted his weight. "When you say testify, what do you mean?"

"Usually a verbal testimony is all that is required. But in special circumstances, memory corroboration will also be necessary. Don't worry. You will be briefed and we will only proceed with your consent."

"Hmm."

"If you have any concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us." One of them held out a small card that Harry took. "We are very happy to see that you are well, Mr. Potter."

He was startled by their kind words. "Oh, that… That's… Th-thank you."

"No. Thank you."

The Aurors left the bustling home without much fanfare. Harry looked down at the card in his hand after the door had shut behind them. No rest for the wicked, he supposed. He slid the card into his pocket and then wandered back into the living room where he was snatched up by Ron once again. "I have to meet with them tomorrow," he said.

"That's fine," Ron mumbled absently. "It's a little crazy in here." He pulled Harry through the dining room. "Mum wants to see you. Something about coffee." Without letting a word slip in edgewise, he dumped his friend into the almost empty kitchen.

Harry stumbled in unceremoniously.

Molly looked up in surprise, her eyes softening as soon as she saw who was there. "Harry, dear." She walked up to him and pressed a kiss against his cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," Harry lied for her sake. "How are you, Mrs. Weasley?"

Molly sighed and shook her head. "I will be alright." She didn't want to talk about it, he could see that. He wasn't going to press her, in any case. He had never been one for emotional confrontation and comfort.

His gaze skipped from the stout red-haired woman to the more regal witch who stood by the window. For a moment, his heart skipped a beat and he was disoriented. But then he recognized Andromeda's wide eyes and soft expression, distinguishing her from her vile sister.

In her arms was a small white bundle.

"Oh…" He withdrew physically, stepping back before he could stop himself.

Molly glanced over her shoulder. "I know," she said. "Poor child…"

Andromeda looked down at her grandchild. She was resigned after hearing about her daughter's death. No amount of screaming and begging would bring her back. She needed to be strong now. In such a short time she had lost all her family.

And gained something precious…

When she had heard from Dora that Remus had asked Harry to be Teddy's godfather, she had been silently skeptical. She understood the need for godparents, but she did not understand why they had chosen a young boy instead of Molly Weasley. Remus had odd sentiments towards Harry. That was the only reason. They hadn't thought about the future, only the past.

Now Teddy was all alone.

Andromeda would never give him away.

Molly tugged Harry forward. "It's okay," she assured him. "He's asleep now. He won't fuss."

Just like him…

This boy was just like him…

His fists clenched tight. Everyone close to him ended up this way. Now Teddy would grow up to be just like him. He wouldn't know his parents. He would only wish for them through photographs and strange mirrors. He would never be able to speak to them, but he will long to hear them whenever stories were told of how kind and courageous they had been.

He would have no family of his own…

Harry didn't want to see him. He didn't want to feel this pain any longer.

"This is Teddy," Molly gushed.

Andromeda saw Harry's face twist into an agonized expression. Her heart dropped. "Don't," she breathed as she shifted Teddy against one arm and pulled Harry close.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered. "I'm so sorry."

Andy silently motioned for Molly to take Teddy from her. Once her arms were free, she tried to quiet the sobbing boy down. He was just a child as well. Younger than her own daughter. "It's not your fault," she murmured into his ear. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I-I saw them," he gasped out. "I s-saw them and they were t-together. Th-they were so… They w-were fighting f-for… When I-A-after, I…"

"That's enough now." Molly rubbed Harry's back. "You've had a rough few days." She coaxed him to pull away from Andromeda. "Here. Look at little Teddy. He'll make you so happy. See?"

In her arms was the smallest, palest, quietest baby Harry had ever seen. His tears dried on his cheeks as he stared at Teddy.

"Would you like to hold him?"

"N-no," Harry stammered. "I-I'll just watch." He clutched his hands in front of him and tried to make out Tonks and Remus' features in the boy. At first glance, he looked like neither of them.

"You should come visit," Andromeda suggested. "Whenever you'd like to." She could only hope that the sorrow she had seen in his face would disappear in time.

He pursed his lips as more tears squeezed out of him. And to think he had been enraged when Remus ran out on Tonks. He was feeling much the same at the moment. He was no good for this child. He shouldn't hurt Teddy. He didn't want to spread more sadness and fear. He would just vanish from his life and the baby would be none the wiser. The Weasleys would take care of him well. They always knew how to make a person feel welcome. He wouldn't need Harry at all. It would be okay.

Harry didn't want to be a part of Teddy's life.

* * *

But easier said than done…

* * *

"Waah! Waaaaah! – hic – WAAA – sniffle – AAAAAAAAAAAAA –"

"Sh, sh. It's okay," Harry tried to soothe the teething baby. "Don't cry. Please, stop crying." He paced the front room nervously while holding Teddy close and trying to rock him. "I'm buggering this up, huh?" He looked at the door hopefully, then at the clock, cringing when he realized that not three minutes had gone by since he had last checked. "You're being fussy for no reason, aren't you?"

Teddy dealt a swift kick to Harry's stomach. "_AAAAAHAAAAAHAHAAAA! _WAAAAH!"

"Okay, okay." Harry scrambled towards the blanket and pillows laid out on the sunny floor. "Here, I won't hold you." He put Teddy down and stepped back with his hands raised.

That hellish racket died down almost instantly.

He slumped in defeat. "Seriously?" he mumbled.

Teddy sniffed, turning away from his godfather so he could bite on the corner of the blue blanket.

Harry watched him wrestle with himself for a while. He had been left all alone by Andromeda and it had already been two hours. He wasn't sure he could handle much more. He started to wonder how Andy, or any mother in fact, did this all day long. Teddy was the fussiest baby. He had started crying as soon as the door closed behind his grandmother and then he couldn't be distracted for longer than a few minutes at a time before he started crying all over again.

When he cried, he looked a lot like Tonks.

Harry reached forward and gently brushed aside some of Teddy's sweaty hair that was sticking to his forehead. "Are you okay now?" he whispered.

Teddy wiggled around and moved farther away. He was angry. It was very obvious to see.

"She will be right back," Harry tried to reassure him. He felt a little silly talking to a baby, but sometimes it was like Teddy understood exactly what he was saying. "I know I'm no good, but I'm _really_ nice. I thought we were going to get along so well. I got along so well with your Dad."

Teddy swung a fist in his general direction, as though ordering him to shut his stupid mouth.


	2. Baby blues

**2. Baby blues**

Nearly a month passed before Teddy grew accustomed to his godfather's voice and touch. Nearly a month of screaming and separation anxiety and tantrums and crying. Harry had all but given up hope when…

He had been preparing for a testimony at Wizengamot, spreading his (read: Hermione's) notes across the floor of the nursery and running through them to ensure that there weren't any holes in his memory. They were at the Burrow and Andromeda had asked him to keep an eye on Teddy who was taking a nap in the crib. Quiet lullabies played through a scratchy speaker and a quiet, summer breeze was let in from the open window.

It started with quiet whimpers that Harry almost didn't hear. But when it grew into a swelling collection of sobs, he jumped up to his feet and was by Teddy's side in two strides. The baby had woken up from a bad dream. His eyes were still screwed shut and his hands were clenched into fists as he struggled with the air.

Harry picked him up and hugged him tight.

He stopped fighting almost instantly, soothed by the comforting warmth and embrace. He laid his cheek on Harry's shoulder as he cried.

"What's the matter? Don't you want to nap anymore?"

He sniffled sadly.

So Harry moved back to his scattered notes and sat down with Teddy still held close. "You can help me study then." He cradled the baby sideways and swayed from side to side as he reached for his discarded sheaf of paper and continued his train of thought. At least Teddy wasn't kicking him this time, he thought to himself.

When nearly five minutes passed without any commotion, however, he looked down in concern.

Teddy was watching him intently while gnawing on his fist. Drool coated one side of his face on top of warm tears, making his face a mess. But he didn't seem to mind. He curled up closer to his godfather and looked away as he kept feasting on his hand.

Harry let out a slow breath in wonder. "You like me now?" he hesitantly asked.

"Gnaa," Teddy gurgled in indifference.

Harry was fine with indifference. He cheered in triumph. In fact, indifference was _great_!

* * *

"I heard you haven't been sleeping well," Andromeda said in passing as she washed the dishes.

Harry kept his back to her and continued to feed Teddy his squashed peas. The boy had a love-hate relationship with it. At that moment he was in his highchair covered in green. He would much rather play with his food than eat it. Harry was having a tough time. He managed to scoop up the bits from the baby's chin and, without gagging, fed it back to him. "I'm fine," he mumbled.

"You're overworked."

"I'm okay, Andy. Really."

"Have you spoken with anyone?"

Harry glanced back at her inquiringly.

"Like a psychiatrist," she explained.

"Ah… No…" He turned around in his seat to face Teddy again. "I don't know." He wiped up most of the mess on his godson's cheeks with a damp rag that sat on the table. Teddy tried to grab for it. "No," Harry said mildly. "Eat first." He scooped up a small amount on the red spoon and tried to stuff it into Teddy's adamantly shut mouth. "Come on, Ted. You want to grow up to be big and strong, don't you?"

Teddy sprayed Harry with peas for the umpteenth time.

* * *

"Oh, look at your little fingers! Um, num, num, num."

Teddy squealed in delight as his fingers were 'eaten' by Ginny.

"And you've even got little toes! Um, num, num, num."

He laughed and wiggled his toes when she nibbled on them.

He was laid out on his godfather's lap lengthways, his legs pressed up against the man's stomach. Every time he giggled, he wiggled. Harry couldn't help but laugh along with him. Ginny had already 'eaten' Teddy's cheeks and ears and nose and fingers and toes. "Dear, dear. There's nothing left," she tsked. "How sad."

Teddy shrieked excitedly and held out his hands.

"Second helpings? Yum, yum." She covered her teeth with her lips and chomped on his baby fingers again, much to his amusement.

Andromeda and Molly glanced at each other with warm beams when they heard laughter in the living room. The two of them were in the kitchen, baking some cakes and cookies for a memorial service that was to be held at the Ministry that night. The Minister had wanted to make sure that the services of all the brave men and women who fought in the war did not go unrecognized. It was both a celebration and an evening for some closure. Andromeda was looking forward to seeing Dora's friends from the Ministry and speaking with them. "I was scared for no reason," she divulged to Molly.

"About Teddy, you mean?"

"Yes."

"Of course you were." She kept on icing the cake with ease. "You knew we would take wonderful care of him, didn't you?"

"I knew. I just… I believe that a child needs stability…"

Molly understood and she took no offense. "I see. I know my home is less than stable on good days," she conceded.

Andy smiled sheepishly. "I guess what I mean to say is… I'm glad Harry is around," she tried to explain. "His attention isn't split. He focuses on Teddy and it has been so wonderful having him over at my home. He is such a sweet boy."

"I know he is." Molly felt pride whenever Harry was praised. He was like her own son nowadays. He had been living with them for the past few months, ever since the war ended. She wouldn't have it any other way. If he needed time to adjust, let him take all the time in the world.

Teddy screamed in astonishment when Harry blew a raspberry on his belly. His giggles rang through every room in the Burrow.

* * *

Harry jerked awake and threw his arms out to catch him before realizing that he wasn't falling. He quickly sat up in the dark room, confused. It took him a second to realize that he was in Teddy's room. He had fallen asleep reading him a book. He massaged his aching head and closed his eyes. He was always falling asleep in odd places.

After taking a moment to settle the sick feeling in his chest, he got up from the plush armchair. Andromeda had covered him with a blanket at some point in the night. He moved it onto the seat of the chair and sidled towards the crib.

Teddy was fast asleep on his back. His arms were splayed and his legs lay curled up. His pacifier had fallen out at some point. Harry slowly reached in and moved it away so that the baby wouldn't end up rolling onto it. Then he stroked Teddy's cheek once before pulling back. It was funny. He was always falling asleep whenever Teddy fell asleep. It was nice...

He turned around and took a quiet step…

Right onto a wooden block.

"Ah!"

He stumbled to the side, kicking aside more blocks and a few plastic rings on the way. His other foot landed on one of the rings and he slipped. With flailing arms and legs, he flopped onto the ground on his bum.

"Oh no…"

"Mmm… Mhmhmhm… Mhmhmhaaamaaa! WAAAAAAAH! WAAAAAAH! AAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAHAAAA! WAAAAAAH!"

He hung his head in defeat.


	3. Call me Harry

**3. Call me… Harry**

It had been a very trying day for the Golden Trio, starting off with a slew of interviews, followed by a slew of trials, and ending off with a slew of more interviews. When they finally dragged themselves back to the Weasleys, it was past eight and everyone else had finished up dinner an hour ago.

"I'm famished," Ron sighed. It wasn't long before he was stuffing mashed potatoes down his gullet, forgoing manners. Hermione tsked at him and rolled her eyes. She let him have his way this once.

Harry was helping himself to some of the cold meats when he felt Teddy pawing at his socked feet. "Hmm," he smiled and picked the boy up to settle him on his lap. "Heard you gave everyone quite a scare today." He shifted Teddy to one side so he could start eating.

Ginny giggled in response and Molly said, "This kid gets into _everything_, I tell you. Can't take my eyes off of him for one second. Just like George and…" She had a quiet moment that quickly passed. "One second he was in the living room. Then suddenly he was pulling apart the kitchen."

Teddy looked around mischievously.

"He's definitely fun to have around," Ginny added. "Never a dull moment." She stole a piece of onion from her boyfriend's plate. "So how did your stuff go? Like you expected?"

Ron snorted. "Harry was the star of the whole show, I tell you. They wouldn't-"

"Aayee?"

Hermione gasped and Ron choked on his words as his mother's eyes grew wide with wonder and his sister clapped a hand to her mouth.

Harry was dumbfounded. "Uh… Um…"

"Aayee?" Teddy said slowly, feeling the word out against his tongue. He looked up at Harry with his bright brown eyes. "Mamamaaama. Aaayug bamaaama. Aayee." He then squeezed his eyes shut and gave his godfather the _biggest_ grin ever.

* * *

Just 'Harry' would never do, though.

* * *

"Da… Da… Dada… Dada?"

Andromeda hid her smile as she snuck a glance to her right where Harry gaped at Teddy who was eating his cucumbers very seriously. That word had just popped out of nowhere, as though the child was expecting a discussion about it.

Harry cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, his nervous eyes flicking over to Andy. When it appeared that she hadn't heard Teddy, he sat forward and said quietly, "You shouldn't call me that."

Teddy tilted his head.

Harry sighed. He knew this wasn't something a baby could understand. "Call me 'Harry', okay?"

"Haayee…"

"Good."

"Dada?"

"No. Harry."

"Haayee…" Teddy patted his godfather's cheek with his wet hand. "Hmm… Foo foo, Haayee?" He pushed his bowl forward.

"No," Harry chuckled. "Thank you. No foo foo for me."

* * *

For a long while, he had thought that that was that.

Of course, not explaining it fully came to bite him in the butt…

* * *

Teddy wailed his little heart out while rubbing his eyes, plopped square on the ground with his tiny legs sticking out in front of him. When Harry rushed into the playroom, that's what he found.

He scooped the boy up. "Are you hurt?" He looked for evidence of a cut, but he saw nothing. "Did you fall?"

"MAMAAAA! DADAAAA!"

Harry was shocked into silence.

Ron and Hermione came barreling in. "What's wrong?" they asked in horror.

"I-I don't know," he stuttered. "H-He… I don't know what's wrong."

"MAMAAAA!"

"Oh dear," Hermione cooed in dismay. She took Teddy from Harry and hugged him. "You want to see them, honey?"

"Hermione," Harry admonished her.

She glared back at him. "Let's go look at more pictures, okay?" She started to calm the crying child as she walked out of the playroom and into the warm Burrow living room.

Harry understood when he saw the photo albums scattered on the table and floor. Evidently that's what Hermione had meant when she asked Teddy if he wanted to 'see them'. He watched her sit down with Teddy nestled in her lap. She picked up a faded album and held it up to the sobbing baby. He stopped his sniffling then. He wiped his tears sadly and let Aunty Hermione show him pictures of Remus and Tonks in the Order of the Phoenix headquarters.

"Look at your mother," she whispered. "Soooo pretty. Look at her hair. _Pink_ hair. See? Isn't she soooo pretty?"

Teddy pressed his hand against the photograph, peering into it intently.

"And there's your father. Right there. See him? He looks grumpy, huh? He has a nice smile. He's not always that grumpy. You have a nice smile too, Teddy."

Harry wrapped his arms around his stomach to settle it as Ron sidled up to him. "Sorry, mate," he mumbled. "Hermione and I were just going through some things. I guess Teddy wanted to see too."

"I-It's fine."

"Did you get scared?"

"Yeah…"

Ron thumped his back a couple times. "What's the matter? Already started worrying about him?"

He laughed nervously and looked away, twisting the hem of his shirt in his fists. "He'll be fine. He's got us," he figured. "I shouldn't be worried."

"Exactly," Ron agreed. "He's got us and he won't be sad. His parents would be proud of what we're doing, right? They would want this for him. We are doing everything we can."

"I know."

"Sometimes he might cry for his parents. That's okay too."

* * *

But it was inevitable. As Teddy grew, Harry couldn't keep up any longer.

* * *

"Da!"

"Harry…"

Teddy huffed. "Haayee," he grumbled. He stuck his drawing in his godfather's face. "My. My Haayee."

Harry took the paper from the boy and examined the scribbles critically. "Did you draw me?" he asked just to make sure.

"Mhm." Teddy nodded big.

"It's lovely. Thank you."

He smiled and turned right around to waddle over to the coffee table to draw some more. Harry set the drawing aside with the ten others that he had already received and feigned enthusiasm over. He turned to Ron and said, "Sometimes I wonder if he's all there. You know?" He touched his head.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped in reproach and whacked his arm.

"Ow, kidding," he exclaimed. "I was kidding. Sheesh."

"So… he calls you 'Dad', huh?" Ron picked up on it unusually quickly. He smirked when he saw the look on Harry's face. "What? Don't want him to?"

"I'm not his father. So no, I don't want him to."

"How does he even know what 'Dad' means?"

"Beats me."

* * *

It wasn't long before the two of them became an inseparable duo.

* * *

Harry attempted to ignore the little monkey on his back as he wrote his letter at his desk. Teddy was climbing all over him, trying to get him to play some more. But he had work to do. He had told Teddy this many, many times. Teddy didn't care. He just never understood why Harry had to work _all_ the time. Always work, work, work.

"No mo'," he whined. "Peeeaaasss?"

"I played with you _all_ morning," Harry murmured. "Why don't you read your book for a bit, hmm? Or go bug Gin. How about that?"

"Peeeaaasss, Haayee?"

"Don't you ever get tired of me?" he asked absently.

"No way!" Teddy wrapped his arms around Harry's neck and nearly strangled him with his hug. "No way, Jose."

"Hey." Harry looked back at his godson. "How do you say my name again?"

"Haayee."

"It's Harry."

"Yeah. Haayee."

"There's two r's in it."

"Huh?"

"Roll your r's. Harrrrry."

Teddy stuck his face in the crook of Harry's neck and nuzzled him. "No. Haayee," he said, his voice muffled and adamant. "Haayee, Haayee, Haayee."

Harry stifled his laugh and conceded. "Alright, alright. Then how about your dad's name? Remus?"

"Wemus."

"Of course…"

"Dada Wemus. Mama Doya. And Haayee." He giggled cheekily because he knew he was saying _all_ that wrong. He just wanted to bug his godfather.

"And you?" Harry hummed.

"Teddy Looooopin!"

"Well, at least you got that one right…"

He earned a smack over the head for the sarcastic remark.

* * *

As it turns out, Teddy could be just as hardheaded as his godfather.

* * *

"Dad."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. They had been at this for a few minutes now. He was glad that the two of them were alone. He didn't want to create a big scene in front of Ginny or Andromeda. "Look, Ted-"

"No." Teddy fixed his fists against his hips. "_You_ look."

"You need to understand that-"

"I luf Mama. I luf Dada. I do."

"Good. They will be-"

"An' I luf you too."

"Yes, I know that, but-"

"I luf you mo' an' mo' an' mo'."

"Oh, come on-"

Teddy suddenly slapped his hands against Harry's cheeks and held them there as he leaned in close. "Daaaddyyy," he said to spite the man. He pressed a kiss on his lips. "I _luuuuffff_ Harry."

* * *

And that's that.

* * *

When Ginny got to 12 Grimmauld Place that evening, she found Harry in the kitchen, cooking pasta for dinner. It was unusual for him to do that, but she wasn't about to complain. She snuck up behind him and snaked her arms around his waist, catching him off guard. He looked over at her and she kissed him lovingly. "Smells delicious."

"I try," he murmured with a smile.

Over dinner and a few glasses of wine, she told him all about her day at training camp for the Holyhead Harpies. She had been playing for them for one season now as a Chaser. She couldn't think of a better job. And, after eating that delicious meal, she couldn't think of a better day. "And the best part," she hummed, "is coming home and finding my perfect boyfriend in the kitchen, cooking me a lovely surprise." She raised her glass in appreciation.

Harry winked. "I've got to do something. You keep putting up with me."

"Oh, I know. It's _so_ tough living with you."

"Hmm." He looked down at his empty plate while swirling the red wine in his glass. "Something happened with Teddy today," he mumbled.

Ginny faltered and sat up. "Oh? What?"

He closed his eyes, sighing in defeat. "It's nothing. Just… He keeps saying these things." He shrugged.

"Like what?"

"He wants to call me 'Dad'."

She blinked at him once before sitting back and laughing in wonder. "Goodness, you scared me, sweetheart," she exclaimed. "I thought that he had done something awful!" She sipped on her drink. "Hmm… I already knew he wanted to call you that."

Harry shook his head and sat back in deep thought. "It's not that I'm… _against_ it. It's just that it feels wrong."

"He's a child. If he wants to call you 'Dad', let him. It's no skin off your back."

"But I'm _not_ his father." He struggled to put his thoughts into words. "I feel like I'm cheating Remus out of-"

"You aren't cheating anyone out of anything." Ginny reached forward and slid her fingers down the back of his hand. "You are being wonderful. Children don't get to choose their fathers. Isn't it great that Teddy gets to choose you? Won't you gladly be there for him like Remus would have been? Let him pretend." She clutched his hand lightly and brought it forward to press a soft kiss against it. "I know you see him as your own."

"Ginny, I…"

"What now?"

"W-will you marry me?"


	4. Dizzy tizzy

**4. Dizzy tizzy**

Teddy lay on his toddler bed with his hands clasped at his stomach and his legs crossed at the feet. Beside him lay Harry on his side, squeezed up against the wall and some stuffed animals. The two of them had been speaking for a long time and Teddy was being lulled into a drowsy state.

"So…" He fidgeted with his fingers. "So Annie Ginny's…"

"She's going to live with me forever," Harry murmured. He was propped up on one elbow, his cheek resting on his hand. "When I marry her, she's going to live in my big old house forever and ever. Because I love her so much. Right?"

"_I_ wanna come…"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Teddy wanted to live with Harry forever and ever too. Because he loved him so much. But he could tell by this conversation that that wasn't going to happen. Harry didn't sound funny at all. He sounded so serious.

"Won't Grandma feel sad?" he pressed on. "If you lived with me forever and ever, won't she feel so sad?"

"Yeah…" Teddy felt like crying now. Harry didn't want to live with him? "But Annie Ginny _likes_ me. So I'll come wif you. Me and Gramma can come."

Harry was dismayed when he saw the look on his godson's face. "Oh, come here." He wrapped an arm around the little boy and pulled him close. "I didn't say you couldn't come over. Of course you can stay over once in a while, buddy. You already have a _whole_ room to yourself in my house, don't you? I didn't mean to make you sad. I just wanted to let you know that Ginny would be around lots, that's all. But she likes you a lot and I like you a lot and we would be happy to have you sleepover, okay?"

"Beally?" Teddy looked up at him hopefully.

"Truly." Harry rubbed his nose against Teddy's. "Just not as often, that's all. Is that okay? Maybe you can come over on Fridays and Saturdays?"

"An' Shunday an' Monday an' Toosday an' Wesenday an' Tursday an' Friday an' Satoday an' Shunday and' Monday an' Too-"

"Alright, alright," he interrupted with a chuckle. "We'll see about _all_ the other days too."

"All days." Teddy made sure he understood.

* * *

"Gramma."

Andromeda nodded at Teddy to continue as she kept on massaging shampoo into his curly black hair.

"Annie Ginny's gonna maddy Harry."

"I know… Isn't that great?"

"Mhm. She's nice."

"Yes, she is. Aunty Ginny's so, so nice, isn't she?"

"Mhm. An' she has pitty red hair."

"She does."

"Mhm. An' den maybe _I'll_ maddy a pitty lady wif red, red hair."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm. Only when I'm _big_." He raised his little hands towards the ceiling, dripping soap and water as he did so.

Andromeda was struck with a case of déjà vu when her grandson's hair started to change colors as she lathered it. She paused to watch it ripple into a dull red. Dora had been quicker with her metamorphmagus magic, learning it at a very young age. Teddy had yet to realize the richness of his ability.

He tilted his head to the side when he felt a touch against his chin. He giggled as his grandmother kissed his cheek. "What?" he asked impishly. "Hmm?"

"Nothing at all," Andromeda hummed. "I just think you are the most precious boy _ever_."

"I know."

* * *

"Annie Ginny?"

"Hmm?"

"Did Mama and Dada do dis?"

Ginny took a moment to process the question. "I'm sorry, honey. Do what, exactly?"

"Lif in da same house fo'ever an' ever?"

She was taken aback. "Where did you hear that?"

He shrugged while fiddling with the diamond ring around her finger. "Daddy says you an' him will lif in da same house fo'ever and ever. He says I can come over on… um… on Friday an' Satoday. But, but I wanna come over _all_ days."

"Oh, I see."

"Can I?"

"All days?"

"Pease?"

How could Ginny possibly say no to that? She squeezed Teddy tight. "Of course you can," she murmured. "Any day."

He giggled triumphantly and hugged her. "An' if you maddy Daddy, den you're my mummy."

* * *

Harry listened to his panicking fiancée with barely hidden amusement. "Mhm. Mhm," he said shakily while struggling to keep a straight face.

"This is _not_ the time to gloat, Harry!" Ginny exploded. "He thinks I'm going to be his _mother_! Because of _you_!"

"What's wrong with that?" he asked innocently.

She ended up throwing a cushion at his face. She has great aim. She's a Chaser, after all. "Andy's going to hate me if she hears about this!"

"Knowing Teddy, she's already heard about this last week."

"Oh no!"

Harry pulled Ginny forward by the hands and made her sit down on the couch beside him. "You're worrying for no reason," he said patiently. "He understands that you're not his real mother. He understands that I'm not his real father. And you were the one who said that we should let him pretend, right?"

"But I feel so _awful_."

"Now you know how I feel."

She huffed and sank against the sofa. "He must be so confused, poor thing… He's got to have the most dysfunctional family _ever_. After mine, that is," she complained.

"But he _is_ family. That's what is important. So it's okay. He's okay. He's so mature for his age. He understands, Ginny. Believe me."


	5. Everything is fine

**5. Everything's fine**

Over time, Teddy started to notice that Harry didn't like to be called 'Dad', so he tried not to do that. He made sure his intentions were clear though. He saw no fault at all in having one real father and one not-real father. Anything was allowed when it came to family. Even so, as he grew, he started to keep his private thoughts private.

* * *

"Is Uncle Harry your daddy?" Victoire wondered aloud. She was drawing with Teddy in the nursery. Since the two of them were alone, she found it appropriate to ask then.

"No," Teddy absently mumbled as he chose a light blue pencil crayon for his clouds.

"Really?"

"Only a bittle."

"Oh… How?"

He shrugged. "My mama and dada went away, so…" He trailed off because he felt he didn't have to elaborate.

But Victoire wanted an elaboration. "So?"

Teddy sighed and looked up at her plainly. "My mama and dada tol' Harry dat he has ta take care of me. So he's my dad."

"Then how come you don't live with him?"

He scowled. "You shut up."

She gasped in reproach. "That's a _bad_ word!"

"You're a _bad girl_."

"MUUUUM!"

"HAAAARRY!"

* * *

But sometimes it just slipped out, you know?

* * *

"Oh my gosh! Dad! Dad, look at-" He stumbled over his words and bit his tongue.

The Weasleys who were within earshot either pretended not to have heard the slipup or they hid their smirks to avoid embarrassing Teddy. To be fair, there really was a lot to look at in the magical zoo and this was his first time, so everything was exciting and new. He had just blurted out stuff. He _never_ called Harry 'Dad' when company was around. He knew better. He swallowed hard, blushing.

"Look at what?" Harry asked while squinting at the spot Teddy had pointed at before he had withdrawn into himself. "By the tree?"

Now the Weasleys who were within earshot smiled earnestly. Either Harry hadn't noticed Teddy's choice of words, or he hadn't thought twice about it.

Teddy tightened his hold on his godfather's hand and mumbled, "Nofin'."

"I don't see anything," Harry frowned. "You need glasses."

"No! _You_ need glasses."

"I know. I've already got glasses."

"You need _more_ glasses."

* * *

Things came naturally to Harry in matters concerning his godson.

* * *

Teddy let out a wet cough into the early morning and mumbled through his nightmare as he turned around in bed. He had already kicked the sheets off because his fever was making him sweat. He clutched his teddy bear close, wiping his snotty nose all over its fur before settling down into the damp pillows.

Harry was biting a hangnail off his thumb, standing by the door. He watched Andromeda place a cold rag on the sick boy's forehead. This was the first time Teddy had caught a fever this bad. He didn't know what to do. All he could do well was worry, so that's what he did.

Andy gently wiped the sweat off of her grandson's face. Teddy stirred with a sniffle, opening his eyes a crack. He smiled at her as soon as he had figured out that he wasn't dreaming. "Gramma…"

"My sweet Teddy," Andy whispered lovingly. "You're feeling much better now, aren't you?"

"Mhm." He yawned.

"Hungry?"

"Mhm."

"How does some chicken noodle soup sound?"

"Yummy."

"Then I'll be right back with some." Andy brushed down Teddy's hair before straightening up. "Harry's here for a visit."

Teddy gasped, which sent him off on a coughing fit. That didn't deter him from scrambling up in bed. A bright grin lit up his flushed face when he saw his godfather by the door. "You don' 'ave work?" he croaked through his scratchy throat.

Harry smiled weakly and shook his head.

"We can play?" Teddy tilted his head hopefully.

"Anything you want," Harry assured him.

Andromeda left Teddy in capable hands as she went to prepare soup.

* * *

If Ginny was ever jealous of how much time Harry spent with Teddy, she never showed it.

* * *

It was her first day off in two months and she wasn't very thrilled about being woken up at what seemed like an ungodly hour. She tried to turn away and hide under the blankets but those very blankets were pulled away from her, making her even grumpier. She growled while burrowing her head under the pillows.

"Come on. Wake up," Harry coaxed gently.

"I don't have to do anything, you stupid idiot," she muttered. "It's my bloody birthday."

"Oh! That's not a nice thing to say!" Teddy squeaked.

Ginny groaned in defeat. "Go away, Teddy. Please go away."

For a moment she thought that she had won this round. But then there was rustling and thudding beside her, followed by hurried whispers. She let out another groan when the bed dipped beside her and she felt the boy crawling over her legs and up her back before settling down with his head against her shoulder blade. "Happy birfday, Annie Ginny," he mumbled. He snaked his arms around her neck and hugged her. "I luf you. We made you bekfast."

Ginny wanted to punch Harry for pulling this card on her. She couldn't resist Teddy, not ever. She grumbled and fought a bit before giving in and sitting up. "You guys are _so_ mean to me…"

Harry laughed as he set the breakfast tray on her lap and then kissed her fondly. "I love you too," he whispered in her lips.

"Whatever," she huffed before grabbing for the toast.

"Annie Ginny?" Teddy nestled close to her and opened his mouth. "Aaaah."


	6. Frightful fun

**6. Frightful fun**

"They were killed, yeah?"

Harry paused and slowly lowered his arm, still holding the bright red ball firmly between his fingers. He squeezed it once, then cleared his throat. He was in the park with Teddy. There were people all around. It was certainly not the best time to have this sort of a conversation.

Teddy twisted the toe of his shoe into a dry patch on the grass. "Um… Were you sad?" he faltered. "Do you 'member them?"

Now Harry stared in confusion. "Pardon me?"

"Your mum an' dad," the boy mumbled. "They were killed, yeah?"

"Oh."

"I was reading this book. A-an' I didn' know. I should've asked…"

Harry finally understood why his godson had been so quiet these past few days. He walked up and knelt down. "What should you have asked?" he murmured kindly. Teddy shook his head. "Come on," Harry pressed him. "Ask me. I won't mind." He wrapped his arms around the boy's waist and tugged him close. "Ask away."

Teddy swallowed. He hadn't looked up at Harry once. "Were you sad?" he asked quietly. "Do you 'member them?"

"Hmm." Harry tilted his head down to catch Teddy's eye. "I don't remember them. And yes, I was sad."

"Then you're _just_ like me, yeah? Why didn' you tell me?"

"Is it important?"

"Mhm."

"Does it feel better knowing that I'm just like you?"

"Mhm." Teddy peeked up at him. "It feels nice."

Harry smiled. "Then I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier." He knocked his forehead against Teddy's. "Want to talk about it right now?"

"Yeah…"

* * *

"If someone tried to hurt _me_, you won' do what your mum did, will you?"

Harry didn't look up from his almost melted ice cream. He stirred it with his spoon, watching the vanilla swirls deliberately. If someone tried to hurt his Teddy… "I might," he answered after a short pause. Then he lifted his head to find Teddy with tears in his eyes. "Oh, come on," he sighed in defeat. He planted an elbow on the table and rested his chin on his palm. "Don't want me to?"

"No!" the boy said passionately. "You _can't_. I don' wan' you to die, Harry." He wiggled to sit forward on the large chair he had been placed in. "If someone hurt me, don' _ever_ do what your mummy did. B-because then everyone will be so sad! Imagine how sad they can be! Don' do that, okay?"

"But if _you_ got hurt," Harry countered, "imagine how _we_ would feel… It would be awful. I'd do anything in my power to protect you. Just like your parents."

"They're dead too."

"I'm not going to die, Teddy. Not if I can help it."

"S'not a joke, Dad!"

Harry raised a brow. "Am I laughing?"

* * *

"You have a cousin?!"

"Yeah… It's a long story."

Teddy sputtered. "You have a _cousin_ an' I've never _met_ him? Harry!"

"Sorry."

"No sorrys!" He huffed. "Don' jus' say sorry an' p'tend! What's his name? I wanna see him."

Harry shook his head in disbelief. The things Teddy wanted. "What's so great about seeing my cousin?"

"He's _family_," Teddy announced. "If he's _your_ family, then he's _my_ family too. If he's _your_ cousin, then he's my… um… _uncle_. Or somethin'. I wanna see him. Can we go? Can he come?"

"He's a muggle," Harry tried to explain. "My aunt and uncle don't like magic. That's why they didn't like me. When I stayed with them, they kept hiding me away. They wouldn't tell me anything, not about my parents or Hogwarts. They weren't very nice to me. Dudley wasn't very nice either. I know that they're safe. But they don't want anything to do with me anymore." He squeezed Teddy's hand. "And that's fine by me, okay? Don't go about feeling sad again. I've got a great big family now, right? I've got a family who isn't afraid or ashamed of me. I've got people who love me so much, like you. So it doesn't matter." He swung his arm wide, making Teddy move the same way. "_That's_ why I never told you about my cousin. Does that make sense?"

"It makes _zero_ sense," Teddy harrumphed. "_Everyone_ lufs you. I bet even _Dudley_ lufs you. I bet he's wonderin' what in devil's name you're doin' right now. Even if he's a muggle. We'll go find 'em an'-"

"We'll leave them be," Harry interjected firmly. He knew Teddy meant well. "They want nothing to do with me, buddy. And that's okay. They're probably safer this way."

"Huh?"

* * *

"Whaaaaaa… So you _killed_ _him_?" Teddy had to pick his jaw up off the ground, that's how shocked he had been. "Whoa…"

"It's not like that," Harry said nervously. "Um, his wand sort of backfired so he was hit by his own rebounding curse."

"Harry…"

"It was a lot of great big coincidences rolled into one day. Very confusing. When you're older, I'll-"

"You _killed_ someone, Harry?"

"I just told you that wasn't what-"

"You're _scary_."

"I was _scared_. Not scary. Can you imagine being in my-"

"_I've_ been scared but I _never_ killed anyone. Not even _one_ person."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed out a breath.

* * *

"I'm pooped." Teddy plopped down on the sofa dramatically.

"No kidding," Ginny laughed. "You two have been gone for nearly four hours. Whatever were you up to?"

"Don't ask," Harry groaned as he too fell into his armchair. He had been running around in circles trying to answer all of his godson's questions. He couldn't handle anymore. No more questions. No more questions for at least a month.

"We played ball an' ate ice cream an' talked a lot, a lot, a lot," Teddy told Ginny. "It was fun."

"Fun," Harry scoffed under his breath.

"Harry's _just_ like me," Teddy pressed on. He wrapped his arms around himself and squeezed tight. "I _luf_ him." He tilted his head to smile cheekily at his godfather. "Even if he's scary, I luf him."

"Good to know," Ginny murmured in amusement. She often couldn't figure out what was going on between them. She was resigned to never fully understand. "I'll get you two some snacks before dinner, alright?" She walked out of the living room, leaving the two of them be.

Teddy struggled to flip over onto his side. "Hey, Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"T'morrow-"

Harry groaned at the thought of tomorrow.

"No, listen," Teddy tsked at all the melodramatics. "T'morrow, let's talk 'bout _my_ mum and dad, okay?"

Harry glanced at him. "Yeah?"

"Mhm."

"Okay. Tomorrow."

Teddy beamed at him. "You're sooooooo nice." He reached behind him, grabbing a cushion so he could hug it close. "_Even_ if you killed someone."

"Ugh." Harry slid further into his chair and hid his face in his hands. "You're such a brat."

"I know."


	7. Growing inside

**7. Growing inside**

Teddy lay on his stomach across the sofa with his legs bent at the knees and wagging in the air. He was thinking very seriously, evidenced by his puckered lips and creased brow. His elbows were propped up on a plush pillow and he rested his chin on one of his hands.

He was poking Ginny's belly with his other hand.

"But _why_?" he asked as he lifted his bright brown eyes up at her. "_How_?"

Ginny didn't want to go over the gory details with a six year old. So she said, "When a boy and a girl love each other _so_ _much_, sometimes they have a baby." She cupped her hand over Teddy's and pressed it against her stomach that had yet to show. "And the baby grows inside the mother. After nine months, the baby is healthy enough to come out and see you."

"But how did the baby get in _here_?" Teddy scooted forward. "Hello, baby?" he called out into Ginny's belly. "Can you hear me, baby?"

"Oh, don't be silly, Teddy."

"_I'm_ not being silly. _You're_ being silly. There's no baby in there." He laid his head on her lap and turned onto his side. "I want a brother."

"Hmm." She smiled to herself as she patted his arm.

* * *

Ginny had been making breakfast when the smell of eggs hit her the wrong way, triggering her persistent morning sickness. She scrambled back with her hands pressed against her nose and mouth. "Ugh," she gagged when she realized that it was too late.

She rushed out of the kitchen as her eyes watered.

She wasn't expecting to trip over anything in the dining room.

But she did.

She tried to catch herself on the chairs. She managed to topple one over with her frantically flailing arms. She managed to regain her balance on the edge of the table, fortunately.

Harry rushed in when he heard the crash. Taking just a moment to get his bearings, he was by his wife's side in the blink of an eye. "Bathroom?" he guessed correctly. Ginny managed a grunt before heaving again. Harry wasted no time in guiding her out of the dining room and into the half-bathroom by front hall where _she_ wasted no time in throwing up straight into the toilet.

He knelt down next to her, holding her hair back. "Are you okay? Are you dizzy? Did you feel like you were going to faint?" he asked in rapid succession.

"J-just tripped," Ginny gasped out. "It's okay."

"Tripped?"

Teddy stood by the door, wide-eyed and pale. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Ted," Ginny answered as best as she could while trying to hold back her gag reflex. "Felt a little sick, that's all."

"Tripped?" Harry repeated. He got up to his feet after a deliberate pause and turned to face Teddy. "Did you leave your toys out?" he murmured.

"I…"

He stormed out of the bathroom without another word, his steps causing the scuffed floorboards to creak ominously. Teddy had never felt this frightened before. He couldn't even move. He squeezed his eyes shut and tilted his head down as he tried so hard to remember putting away his toys. But he couldn't. As hard as he tried to remember, he just couldn't.

He clenched his fists when those footsteps returned, getting louder and scarier with each thud.

Harry stopped in front of Teddy. "I found this." In his hand was a toy train set. "I found this in the _dining _room." When the boy didn't look up at him, his temper got the best of him. "Do you realize how _dangerous_ this is, Ted?"

"Harry," Ginny interjected. "It was an accid-"

"How many times do I have to tell him?" he snapped at her. "Imagine if something had happened?" He turned to his godson again. "What if Ginny had gotten hurt? Have you finally figured out why I _keep asking you_ to put away your things?"

Ginny shook her head in defeat as she got up to her feet unsteadily. Teddy was quietly crying by then. Harry dropped the train parts unceremoniously in front of him before helping his pregnant wife clean up. "I'll finish in the kitchen," he told her. "You should rest."

"I'm _fine_, Harry," she tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen.

"You should rest," he repeated firmly. He escorted her out of the bathroom and up the stairs to their bedroom. She tried to catch Teddy's attention, but he wasn't looking. She couldn't do anything but sigh and sigh some more. Her husband was so overprotective these days. It was absolutely unseemly.

He opened the bedroom door. "I'll get you some water." As she got back into the unmade bed, he poured a tall glass of cold water from the pitcher on the bedside table and thrust it towards her. She took it gladly, wetting her parched throat with it. Now that she was off her shaky legs though, she had a few things to say.

"You were too harsh on Teddy, sweetheart."

"Harsh?" Harry was shocked. "He needs to learn to put his toys away! What if you had fallen? What if-"

"I _didn't_ fall, did I?" Ginny pursed her lips at him. "Give me _some_ credit. You don't have to look after me like this. I'm perfectly fine. I'm only ten weeks in. A fall isn't going to do a thing."

Harry pressed a stubborn kiss against her lips. "With your morning sickness and restless nights, I just… I don't want you to get hurt," he murmured. He sat next to her in bed. "It scares me…"

"I know it does." Ginny smiled at him. "But don't let it scare you too much, okay? I don't want you screaming at everyone who bumps into me."

"Well, I can't help it."

She almost laughed at his stubborn words. She already knew that as well. Harry couldn't help but protect her. He tried so hard. "Alright, so you can't help it." She nodded in concession. "I'll be more careful next time."

He stroked her messy hair for a minute before taking a breath and saying "I was mean to Teddy, huh?"

"Yeah. You made him cry."

"But he needs to know these things. If he's going to be a big brother, he needs to know that-"

"I get where you're coming from." She nodded. "He won't do it again. You know he won't."

"Hmm."

"So how about you finish up breakfast, huh?"

"Yeah, I'll go do that." He got up from the bed and pulled the sheets up to Ginny's stomach. "Do you want something? Dry cereal?"

"That would be lovely, dear."

"Coming right up."

Downstairs, Harry found Teddy sitting on his knees in front of the toy chest. He was putting away his things like he was told to do. Quiet sniffles escaped him between shaky gasps.

Leaving him be, Harry walked to the kitchen to warm up the cold toast and butter each side. The eggs were finished, so he plated those. He poured some cornflakes into a plastic bowl for Ginny. He also washed and cut up some slices of apples for Teddy as an apology. After getting out the milk and coffee, he set the table for two. Then he placed a few pieces of fruit on a small saucer, balanced it on top of the bowl of cereal, and went back up to his bedroom.

He stopped short when he found Teddy standing in front of the closed door.

"Aunty Ginny?" he called out in a small voice. "Are you okay?" When he heard no response, most likely because he had spoken too softly, he raised his fist and knocked three times. "Aunty Ginny?" He shuffled closer to the door to try and hear. "It's me." He wiped his cheeks against his shoulders. "I'm sorry. I… I put away my toys now." His words were starting to tremble. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" He sniffed as more tears cascaded down his plump cheeks. "Mum…?" His voice cracked. "I put away _all_ my toys." He tried to clear his throat with a quick sob. "Are you angry? I'm sorry, Mummy."

Harry pulled him away from the door and knelt down next to him, giving him a big, one-armed hug. "Hey, don't say that," he whispered. "She isn't angry at all. She's just resting."

"I-I'm sorry," Teddy gasped through his tears. "I won't do it again. I-I'll put away all my toys and I'll listen to y-you and I'm-"

"Sh, sh. It's okay." Harry felt bloody awful. He pressed a firm kiss on the boy's forehead. "I've got to give Mum her breakfast now. If she's feeling well enough, maybe we can all have breakfast together. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"Mhm." Teddy tried to dry his face with his damp hands.

When Harry gingerly opened the door and peeked inside, he found Ginny pressing her hands firmly to her mouth to stifle her own gasps.

He bit back his groan and quickly closed the door behind him before Teddy could catch a glimpse of her. He had expected this. He quickly set the bowl and saucer on the bedside table and grabbed some tissues from the dressing table for her. "I can't handle all this crying," he said with a shaky smile. "Are you okay?"

"I didn't want him to see me like this," she sniffed. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Nothing to be sorry about."

"Oh God, he's the sweetest angel." She started sobbing again. "Why is he so wonderful? I can't stand it."

"It's just your hormones. Remember?" Harry hugged her as well. "He's waiting outside right now. I told him he could have breakfast with you. Is that okay?"

"I don't know." Ginny couldn't stop crying. "But he must be so worried." She tried to pull herself together. How embarrassing was this, crying after she had just told her husband how strong she was? "He's going to be the death of me, Harry. I tell you." She managed to sop up the rest of her tears and blew her nose noisily. "Just give me a couple minutes."

"Of course." Harry squeezed her hands. "We'll be back in a bit. We'll eat the eggs downstairs."

"O-okay. Thank you."

He closed the door gently behind him and wasn't at all surprised to find Teddy in the same position he had left him. "So we'll eat our breakfast downstairs," he told the boy, "and then we'll bring our milk upstairs so we can finish up with Ginny. How does that sound?"

"Mhm." Teddy nodded. He slipped his hand in Harry's and followed him down.

"Did you get scared?"

"Mhm."

Harry tsked sadly before stooping down. Teddy wrapped his arms around his godfather's neck and quickly nestled against him. Harry carried him down the stairs, patting his back whenever a sniffle burst out of him. "Awful way to start the morning, huh?"

"Do you think the baby got hurt?"

"Oh, buddy. No, no, no," Harry rushed to say. "I told you not to worry, didn't I?" He decided against the dining room, considering it was the scene of the crime. He walked into the drawing room instead and sat on the couch, keeping Teddy close. "The baby's just fine. And you know what else? Mum got angry with me," he murmured. "She said I scared you. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." He was glad to feel Teddy calming down. "The baby's fine and Ginny's fine. Thank you for putting away your toys." He squeezed Teddy tight. "You're the best. I love you."

Teddy sniffed one last time. "I love you too," he whispered.

* * *

"And when the baby comes, Harry won't have too much time to play with you." Andromeda flattened Teddy's hand atop hers. "But that's alright, isn't it? We can play together."

"I know, Gramma," Teddy laughed. He shook his head at her unwarranted concern. "I know _all_ that. I'm not little boy. I'm all grown up." He stretched his fingers as much as he could to try to make his hand big, but it was still a bit smaller than his grandmother's palm. "It's okay if Harry can't play as much. He has to take care of his baby. See? I know all that." He cuddled close to her. "Gosh, _everyone_ thinks I don't know _anything_."

"Won't you feel sad?"

He shrugged. "That's okay. Sometimes it's okay to feel sad."

Andromeda stifled her dismayed groan as she squeezed him lovingly.

"Besides," Teddy continued without realizing his grandmother's concern, "I know I'll _always_ be Harry's favorite."

She laughed against his soft cheek.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Heya! First of all, I wanted to say thank you! Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favorites. It means the world to me to know that you guys are enjoying this as much as I like writing this. It isn't often that I make up lighthearted stories. This is a nice outlet.

Secondly, a few of you wanted a short ficlet on Dudley meeting Teddy. As a matter of fact, I've already written one such encounter. The one-shot is called **Dudders** and it's also a fun little piece like this one. Have a read if you're interested. It's on my profile page.

Thirdly, as you can tell, I'm writing this sporadically, whenever an idea strikes me. So if you guys want to see anything special happen with Teddy, let me know. Of course, I am going to write about his time in Hogwarts, flying experience, his first love and all that. But any not-so-obvious plotlines are also appreciated. If I do happen to use something that you've suggested, you will receive hearty recognition.

I'll keep this story up until we've all run out of ideas completely, alright?


	8. Hurts me so

**8. Hurts me so**

"Psst. Vicky. Look at me."

Victoire looked up irritably from her drawing to find Teddy peeking out from behind a row of shelves in the playroom. "What?" she whispered back.

"Come here." With that, the boy stepped out of view.

When Victoire finally got to the shelves, she was grabbed by the wrist and jerked against the little cubbyhole between dusty books and broken toys. She yelped as she landed hard on her knees. Teddy paid no heed. "Look at me." Then, right before her eyes, his dark hair flickered faintly. "Did anything happen?" He gestured to his head.

"Nope," she lied.

He huffed and squeezed his eyes shut, trying again. This time his hair seemed to vibrate before blinking from brown to white. But the moment he opened his eyes and lost his concentration, everything returned to normal. "Now?" he asked hopefully.

"Nope."

"Are you _sure_?" He touched his hair experimentally. "I'm _sure_ something happened." He tilted his head down, showing the crown of his head to Victoire. "Nothing's happened?"

"Nope."

"Aw man…"

"You're so weird." With that she jumped up to her feet and scurried off to finish up her drawing.

Teddy ran his fingers through his hair. He could make stuff happen when he was alone. He had to think really hard. Sometimes his hair felt hot, sometimes it felt cold. He wondered if his mother was this way as well when she first learned to transform. He could never do it in front of the mirror though. Every time he looked at his reflection, he would be the same old Teddy. But he was so _sure_ that he could change his hair when no one was around, not even himself.

No one really _made_ him transform either. He didn't like that. Didn't he have an awesome power? Why did no one talk to him about it? Why wasn't anyone teaching him? He had sat down with ancient books much too mature for him to read, trying to make sense of metamorphic abilities. Since this type of magic was so very rare, it was difficult to understand. Especially for a six year old.

Teddy scratched his head. What does '_psychological aspects can alter degree and potency of transformation_' even mean? Seriously? They should write books for little people, he decided.

"Oh!"

And that's exactly what he set about doing.

Andromeda became extremely suspicious when she heard not a peep out of her grandson's bedroom. That could only mean one thing. He was up to no good.

When she glanced inside, she found him sitting at his little table with a sheaf of colored parchment paper, carefully writing. In front of him were a few of those ancient books, opened at different pages. He glanced up at them once in a while, but always returned to his own pencil markings.

After rearranging her amused expression into something more appropriate, Andy cleared her throat. "Teddy?"

He looked up at her. "Eh?"

"What are you doing?"

A proud smile filled out his face. "I'm writing a _book_."

"About what?"

"About metaphormagus magic."

Andromeda nodded solemnly. "Good for you."

"Gramma?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Mama was awesome at it, yeah?"

"Quite."

"Did _you_ teach her?"

"Hmm, no." Andromeda walked into the room to sit down on the floor beside Teddy. "Let's see… I didn't know she was a metamorphmagus until a week or so after she was born. When she was young, she was always on her own, trying to figure out how to color her hair or change her nose. She would pick up these little toy animals that she had and try to make the same face. But I don't know how she did it. There isn't anyone to ask, really. It's a gift." She patted Teddy's head. "Isn't it an amazing gift?"

"Yeah, if I could _use_ it," Teddy groused. "I don't get it at all." He tapped the paper with his pencil. "So I'm going to write this book." He sat up properly. "I'm going to sell it too, Gramma. Do you want the first one? It's gonna be _one_ Galleon."

"My, my. That's a bit steep."

"Is it?"

It took him a week to write five pages. He wrote all about how he could grit his teeth, clench his fists, and squeeze his eyes shut to focus on his hair. He wrote about the tingling at his eyebrows when he did that. He wrote about the buzzing in his ears and the fuzzing in his noggin. He wrote about how hard it was to be a failed 'metaphormagus'.

"It's not fair," he bemoaned finally as he crawled up to Harry who was reading in bed.

"What's not fair?" Harry murmured before going back to chewing on one end of his quill.

"I want to be as good as my mother."

"Hmm."

"I practice, Harry. Honest."

"I know. I believe you."

"So why can't I do it?" Teddy laid his head on Harry's lap, displacing a few papers. He didn't feel like writing his book anymore. He was such a loser.

Harry tsked sympathetically as he weaved his fingers through Teddy's hair. "Want to show me?" he asked.

"No."

"Then what should we do?"

"I don't know."

After a few seconds of turbulent silence (on Teddy's part), Harry put his notes away and leaned forward. Teddy stubbornly stayed as he was, face pressed up against Harry's shirt and limbs curled up into a small ball. Harry poked him once. "Have you tried looking like _me_?"

Teddy scowled. "That's when my eyes feel like sploding in my brain."

"Oh, do you think that can happen?"

"How should I know?" He pressed his hands to his eyes. "I just don't want to get messy."

Harry picked him up and sat him down properly, cradling him. "Then why don't you start with something simple?" he suggested. "Like your fingers. Try to make them long or fat. That might be easier to do than changing your face, right?"

Teddy looked down at his baby fingers. "It's not easy at all," he grumbled. He clenched his fists and sank into Harry's chest with a loud sigh. "I'm _hopeless_."

"I like you just the way you are, okay?" Harry said. "I like you _a lot_."

"Hmph."

"Teddy…"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"Hmm. Alright, then."

Teddy moodily twisted his fingers in his hands. It wasn't very fun when Harry refused to take the bait. He sometimes liked their little fights. But maybe Harry wasn't having a good day. "I'm gonna write a book," he mumbled.

"About what?"

"About metaphormagus magic."

Harry arched his brows in surprise. "You are? Wow," he exclaimed.

"Because, because _all_ the books are for _big_ people. I want to write a book for _small_ people. Like me. But how am I supposed to write it if I can't figure it out?" Teddy smacked his head with his hand. "I'm stupid. Mama did it so easy."

"You think you're stupid?"

"Mhm."

"Then you must be right."

Teddy whipped his head up. "Hey!"

Harry pressed a kiss on his nose. "I happen to like you _even _if you're stupid," he added.

"AUNTY GINNY!"

Even though he argued and pouted about it, Teddy decided that he rather liked Harry's idea. So he started carrying a wooden ruler around. That way he could measure his fingers every once in a while to see if it had grown bigger or smaller. At least he wouldn't need to use a mirror or anything for this transformation.

"Off the table," Molly said in passing conversation, not even taking another breath to continue speaking with Hermione about her new work schedule.

Teddy sheepishly picked his elbows off the table and pulled his hands down so he could measure his pointer finger _under_ the table.

Percy clicked his tongue in exasperation and grabbed the ruler from the boy's hand. "Stop that," he hissed.

"But I've got to-"

"At the _table_? At this _moment_?"

Teddy slumped. "What if my fingers-"

"They don't just grow like that, Ted." Percy slid the ruler into his pocket and shook his head. "Do you know how difficult it is to actually transform bones? You'd be better off with hair or something."

"But I've _tried_ that," Teddy whined. This was all so frustrating. Why did no one understand him? "Look." He squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth, forced his mind, and concentrated hard enough that he could hear blood flowing in his head.

Suddenly there was silence.

He opened his eyes in a flash.

He saw nothing.

Only darkness.

"AAAAH!" He slapped his hands to his eyes. "MY EYES! THEY SPLODED! HARRY! THEY-"

"The lights went out, Teddy," Arthur interjected as he waved his wand to relight the candles. "What exactly are you up to over there?"

"Oh…" Teddy blushed and opened his eyes again. "Ah… I can see." He slumped against his seat again. "Aw man." It would have been way cool if his eyes had blasted out of his skull. He glowered at Harry who was laughing behind his glass of water.

Screw his stupid book.

He didn't have time for this nonsense.


	9. Infinite love

**9. Infinite love**

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"I just thought of somethin'."

Harry nodded at Teddy to continue. The two of them were in the kitchen warming up lunch. With the baby coming in less than two months, everyone was hustling and bustling to get rooms ready, clothes made, books and toys purchased, and final arrangements settled so that everything could run smoothly. This was one of those rare moments they got to chat alone. Teddy always took full advantage of his opportunities. He sat on the countertop with a bowl of baby carrots in his hands. "So, I was thinkin'," he munched on, "about how you're gonna be a nice father even if _you_ didn't have a father growing up. You know?"

Harry chuckled as he stirred sauce into the pasta. "Even if I didn't have a dad," he said, "I still watched other kids and their dads. It just comes naturally. Love comes naturally. As you grow up, you just sort of… _know_ what to do with kids. Alright?"

"I'm watching _you_," Teddy grinned, showing off pieces of orange carrot bits stuck in his teeth. "I'll be nice when I grow up too."

"I am sure of it," Harry assured him. "Besides, I've got you to practice on. The baby is going to have it very easy now that I know how to handle brats like you, right?"

"Right." Teddy laughed happily. "I'm glad I'm around."

"You will be wonderful with the baby. I just know it."

"Well, if he's wunnerful with _me_, then I _have_ to be wunnerful to him."

"You will love him _so_ much, right?"

"Right!" Teddy threw his arms out wide. "I'll love him _this_ much."

"Oh yeah? How much is that?" Harry asked.

"Infinity love."

"Wow. That's a lot of love."

"I know." Teddy nodded. "I infinity love _all_ my family." Then he paused. "Um, except for Uncle Percy. I only love him infinity minus one."

"I know," Harry smirked. "You don't like sensible people."

The boy narrowed his eyes. "Did you say something mean right now?" he muttered.

"No way."

"You did, didn't you? What does sessible people mean? Is Uncle Percy sessible?"

"Just leave it, Ted. You're going to get me in trouble. You always get me in trouble. I should just stop talking around you."

"Hmph."

* * *

"Look who's here," Harry murmured. He knelt down carefully to show off his newborn son to Teddy who was staring in wonder. The baby was big and pink and sleeping soundly all swaddled in a blue blanket. "What do you think?" he whispered. "Isn't he beautiful?"

Teddy flicked his eyes over at Ginny who was watching the two of them from her bed where she was propped up and recuperating. She smiled at his slackened jaw and flushed cheeks. It seemed he hadn't believed her about the baby until the very, very end. Now he had no choice but to accept the fact that she had been telling the truth. She had been carrying a real live baby inside her all this while.

He looked back at the bundle in his godfather's arms. "Whoa…" He reached out to touch him.

"Be _very_ gentle, okay?" Harry said.

"I know." He poked at the baby's nose before gasping and pulling his hand back. "He's _real_!" He laughed hysterically. "He's _real_!"

"Of course, he is." Harry laughed with him. "His name is James and he's as real as ever, isn't he?"

"James?" Teddy sidled close to Harry to look at the baby from _all_ angles. "_Your_ name's James, Harry."

"Ah, it's my father's name," Harry explained. "It's a nice name for the baby, isn't it?"

"So nice…"

"Do you want to hold him?"

Teddy was startled. "Uh, I-uh… I'm not-I-"

Molly drew up a chair beside the bed. "Come here, love. You sit here and we'll put the baby on your lap." She patted on the seat.

"O-okay!" Teddy stumbled towards the chair and climbed up.

"You have to be careful with him," Ginny said quickly.

"He'll be fine," Harry assured her. He slowly transferred the baby onto Teddy's lap. "You have to hold his head up because his neck's not strong yet, alright?" Molly helped reposition James until everyone felt comfortable enough to stop tensing. Harry eased back and then sat on the edge of the bed beside his wife.

Teddy was breathless as he sat in an awkward position holding the lightest creature ever. He examined James' wispy black hair, his long, long eyelashes, calm expression, small, small lips, and button nose. At that moment, he was _so_ happy to be a big brother. He was going to be the best big brother James would _ever_ have. He was going to be gentle and nice and they would have fun. They would have so much fun…

James fluttered his eyes open.

"Oh," Teddy exhaled. He swept his eyes over the baby's waking face. "Hello…"

James opened his mouth and stretched as much as he could against the tight blanket wound around him. Then he shifted his head towards Teddy, nestling against the warmth before closing his eyes again.

The older boy looked up at Harry in exhilaration. "He likes me, Dad," he gushed. "Look. He likes me."

"Of course he does," Harry smiled. "It would be hard to find anyone who didn't like you…"

* * *

"Grandma Molly says he's the nicest baby ever." Teddy was bounding all around the Potter's brand new nursery while waiting for Ginny to finish dressing the brand new baby. "She says he isn't fussy or mean and she says he sleeps for hours and hours and she says he is _brilliant_!" He stood on his toes to peek at the change table. "Is he ready yet?"

"Almost," Ginny assured him.

"_I_ think he's brilliant too, Aunty Ginny. He doesn't mind playing with me." He pushed off of the table and started bouncing again. "Harry says he's a really fast learner. He says that no'mally babies don't roll over until a _lot_ later. But James is _so_ smart, isn't he? I bet he's going to be walkin' in no time. I bet he can't _wait_ to play with me and Vicky. You know something, Aunty Ginny? I think he's going to be _just like_ Harry. Don't you think so? Won't that be nice? Because, because _Harry's_ nice, right? So it would be nice if James was like him, right?"

"Calm down, Ted," Ginny laughed. "Has Andy been feeding you jumping beans today?"

"I'm just excited," Teddy pouted. He didn't like it when people asked him to calm down. If he wanted to jump around, then he should be allowed to do it. He wasn't hurting anyone or anything. "Is he ready yet?"

"Yes, yes." She picked James up and laid him on the floor on the plush blanket. "What do you want to play today, Teddy?" she asked dutifully.

"Numbers!" Teddy plopped down next to James. He wanted to play learning games because he wanted to make sure James learned everything _really_ early so he could be the most intelligent baby ever. He picked up James' hand by the wrist and brought it up to his nose. "One nose." Then he touched both his ears. "And two ears. See?"

James smiled at him.

"Oh, you're so smart! Look at this. _Five_ fingers. See? One, two, three, four, five. Isn't that awesome, James? Aren't you so smart? I know you are. You're the _smartest_. I love you _so_ much."

* * *

"He's going to spoil our son rotten," Ginny murmured under her breath as she watched Teddy and James together. "We're going to have a spoilt son, Harry. I don't know how I feel about that."

Harry smiled and rested his head against his wife's shoulder. "I wouldn't mind," he said quietly. "I'll spoil him too."

The two boys were on the floor. James was making strange noises and waving at the ceiling while Teddy giggled and shone a small mirror upwards. "See?" he whispered. "It's a reflection of the sun." He moved the yellow light in slow circles. "You can't catch it. I know you want to, but you can't. 'Cause it's a reflection, you see?" James didn't see, of course. He continued to move his arms about and wiggle his fingers at the roof.

Andromeda had it all wrong.

It wasn't Harry who had less time to spend with Teddy.

It was Teddy who had less time to spend with Harry.

Ginny tiptoed towards the blankets and pillows an hour later to snap a quick picture of the boys sleeping soundly. Harry felt a soft stirring in his chest. He couldn't imagine a more perfect Sunday.


	10. Just a scratch

**10. Just a scratch**

When Harry got to the Burrow straight from work that summer evening, he was expecting the worst.

And the worst is what awaited him.

"DADDY!" Teddy wailed.

"It's okay," Harry rushed as he quickly hurried to his godson who was laid out on the couch. "Hey, hey, you're okay." He pulled the boy into a comforting hug.

"I HATE IT!" Teddy sobbed into Harry's shoulder. "I HATE FLYING!"

"I know, I know." Harry looked up at Molly and Arthur, both of whom were smiling helplessly.

"YOU SAID!"

"I know." He tightened his arms around Teddy. "I know I said. Next time I will-"

"NO NEXT TIME! PLEASE!"

So Teddy's first flight wasn't all that fun. He came away with a broken ankle and scraped hands. He was _very_ traumatized. He would _never_ look at a broom again. He vowed to himself. He would _never_ fly. _Ever_. No matter how much fun Harry and Ginny said it was. Brooms were _evil_. It had nearly tried to kill him! There won't ever be a next time!

It took several kisses from Harry to get him calm again.

"Uncle Neville broke his wrist when he first tried flying…"

"Th-that's why he won't fly anymore," Teddy sniffled. "He's so smart. You're so stupid. Aunty Ginny's so stupid. No one should fly. Not ever. Uncle Neville is the smartest person. He's sessible."

Harry took Teddy's hand in his, examining the newly mended skin on his soft palms. "What if _I_ taught you instead of Ron and George? Would that be better?"

"No." Teddy was adamant. "No one is flying in my family. Everyone is safe just _walkin'_ places."

"Our whole family plays Quidditch…"

"Stupid game. Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"Hmm. Yeah. It's a little stupid I guess."

Teddy wound his arms around Harry's neck. "It hurt so bad." His voice was hoarse and thick. "I don't ever wanna break anything again."

Harry brushed his thumb against one plump, pink cheek. "Who's going to teach James?" he whispered.

"No one." Teddy wiped his nose on his shirt. "He's going to stay on the ground with _me_. You are not allowed to teach him anything. No one's gonna teach him anything but me."

"I see."

"Good."

* * *

Victoire pressed her hand gently on Teddy's ankle. "Does it still hurt?"

It had been a week and Teddy had been milking his injury for all it's worth. "Not too badly," he said while putting on a brave face. "The doctor said I may never walk straight again."

While Victoire gasped, her father tsked and shook his head at the exaggerating boy. "Don't spread lies."

"I'm not spreading anything!" he exclaimed. "You weren't there. What do you know, Uncle Bill?"

"You're so brave," Victoire and her sister, Dominique, gushed.

He puffed his chest out. "I know."

Bill shook his head in defeat as he walked over to the adult conversation, which turned out to be quite similar to the children's.

"You should have seen the kid," George boasted proudly. "The broom bucks him off and he just goes _flying_. I thought he was done for."

Percy clicked his tongue and narrowed his eyes. "Yesterday you said he slid off. And he couldn't have been more than a two meters off the-"

"What do you know?" George interrupted his elder brother. "You weren't there, Percy."

Ginny harrumphed. "Moral of the story is that I am never trusting my children to either of you." She threw a scalding look at George and Ron, both of whom raised their hands in innocent confusion.

Bill sighed and rolled his eyes. His siblings never grew up. He collected all of the empty mugs from the coffee table and floated them to the kitchen where Molly and Fleur were speaking with Harry who was rocking his baby to sleep.

"And then he throws this gigantic fit. It was awful. Wouldn't stop crying for hours. He actually _screamed_ at me, as if it was my fault he fell off his broom. He said he would _never_ fly again."

"Oh, he von't mean it," Fleur waved Harry off.

"You weren't there," Molly interjected. "And you know Teddy well enough, Fleur."

"You too?" Bill arched a brow at his family. "Seems like all everyone talks about is Teddy."

"Well, he is quite the character," Harry chuckled.

* * *

"Teddy. Put away your books."

"But my ankle…"

* * *

"Hurry up. It's already ten minutes past your bedtime."

"But my ankle…"

* * *

"Eat your broccoli."

"But my ankle…"

* * *

"No, Teddy. James has to take a bath now."

"But my ankle…"

* * *

"Well, if your ankle is giving you so much trouble, I guess we should just go back to the hospital and get some more medicine."

"Er…"

* * *

"Alright. Ready?"

Teddy swallowed hard. "No." His voice had gotten squeaky.

"I'll catch you," Harry promised. "If you fall, I'll be _right_ here. I'm much better than Uncle George." He pressed a quick kiss on Teddy's hand. "You believe me, don't you?"

"I'm scared…"

"Nonsense. You aren't scared of anything."

Teddy wasn't so sure. He clung to Harry's hand, trying to get as tight a grip as possible. "Don't let go. If you let go, I'll be _so_ mad, Harry." He tried to glare at his godfather, but he only ended up looking desperate.

"No letting go." Harry nodded firmly. "You are safe and sound." He planted his feet on the grass. "I'll count us in. On three, alright?"

"No."

"One… Two… Three."

Teddy squeezed his eyes shut and pushed off with his unsteady heels. His stomach drove into his legs as he floated up above the ground. "Oh," he moaned in fright. "Harry…"

"You're doing great. Hold still. And keep your eyes open."

"I can't."

Harry took a slow step to the side and pulled Teddy along like a balloon. He was floating just five feet off the ground, but by his expression it would have seemed like he was about to fall off of a ten-meter cliff. He was as pale as a ghost. "You're flying," Harry murmured in quiet encouragement. "See? Open your eyes." Teddy shook his head stubbornly instead. Harry figured there was no point in pressing him. "Then maybe you could stop straining so much?" he suggested. "Your arms and legs are going to tire out if you strain like that."

"I don't want to fall," Teddy bit out. "I'll strain if I want."

"You're the boss."

"And you're mean."

Harry smiled privately. "Oh yeah. I'm the meanest," he mumbled.

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"I don't wanna fly anymore…"

"Yeah. I figured." He tugged Teddy down and the broom followed until everyone was safely on the ground. Teddy wasted no time in dismounting and then hugging Harry's legs tight. "That's fine, Teddy." He struggled to untangle himself from his godson so he could kneel down next to him. "I know you feel disappointed, and that's fine." He ruffled his hair. "You just need some practice. You've got all the time in the world."

"But I wanted to be good. Like you." Teddy sniffed sadly.

"Oh, no one's as good as me."

He whined in irritation and bonked heads with his silly godfather. "You're always making fun of me," he complained.

Harry rubbed his head while laughing. "You're a very easy target, that's all." He grabbed the broom off the grass and stood up. "Come on. We'll tell Ginny that your precious ankle hurt too much." He took Teddy's hand in his.

"Yeah. We'll tell her that," Teddy sighed as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

"And you know something else?"

"What?"

"Your hair's green now."

"WHAT?"


	11. Kisses

**11. Kisses**

James struggled to squirm forward, quiet whines of frustration and strain escaping his clenched, almost toothless gums. His feet kicked behind him as if he was swimming. He dug his fists into the carpet and rocked on his belly in an attempt to inch closer to Teddy who was also lying on his tummy, encouraging him with bright cheers. "You can do it! You're so close! Come on, James. Come here," he cooed. He stretched his arms out in front of him towards the baby. "Just a _bit_ more."

James wanted to cry. He was trying so hard, but he wasn't moving at all. He kicked as hard as he could, his socked feet landing heavily behind him. He smacked his fists and scraped his elbows on the carpet. His eyes filled with tears as he shifted his legs, curling them.

"Come on, James," Teddy urged. "Come here. I know you can do it."

"Mmm," James sniffed sadly. His feet were scrambling by then. He just wanted to go forward!

His knees caught.

He lifted his hips up reflexively, his dark eyes widening with surprise.

Before he could topple forward on his face, he was gripped under his arms and then he was flying.

"Aaah!" he squealed.

"You did it!" Teddy laughed and twirled around. "You did it! You crawled!" He planted big, wet kisses on his baby brother's round cheeks and button nose and dimple chin. "You are such a big boy now."

James giggled.

* * *

The doorbell rang, prompting Teddy to gulp his milk twice as quickly while hopping from foot to foot. Andromeda told him to slow down, but he was almost done in any case. Milk dripped down his chin and onto his shirt. He didn't care. He didn't want to be late. He pulled the cup away with a loud exhale and then nearly slammed it on the table. "Gotta go, Gramma." He raced out the door.

Andromeda simply shook her head in defeat. He was growing up so fast. She set the cup down in the sink before running the water.

Without warning, she was tugged around and pulled down. "Oh?" she exclaimed.

Teddy threw his arms around her. "Love you." He pecked her cheek before zooming out of the kitchen again. By the time Andromeda had straightened up, the front door had slammed shut.

* * *

Teddy sat on his hands and nervously swung his legs as he watched Quidditch players fly out into the arena. The crowd was loud and the announcer was even louder. He was surrounded by the Wealseys in the private box, but he paid no heed to their snacking and chattering. He chewed on the side of his cheek while keeping his eyes on the entrance all the way down by the mascots. This was the very first match he had ever been to.

"NUMBER TWENTY SEVEN! GINEVRA WEASLEY! CHASER!"

Teddy jumped up to his feet just as his family cheered louder than ever. He leaned against the railing, holding on with white knuckles, and stared at the speck of green flying into the grounds.

Ginny flew up to meet her teammates while carefully breathing to calm the butterflies in her stomach. This was her first match since James was born. After flying a lap around the ground, she idled beside her fellow Chasers and took a moment for the familiar feeling to sink in.

"AUNTY GINNY!" Teddy shouted. His voice was drowned out by thousands of others. "AUNTY GINNY! OVER HERE!" He twisted his fists around the cold railing. "AUNTY GINNY!"

Ginny tried to spot her family. It took a little while, but she eventually caught sight of a private box filled with redheads. She couldn't help but smile.

Teddy gasped when he realized that Ginny had seen him. He flung his arms around as much as he could. "AUNTY GINNY! AUNTY GINNY!"

Ginny raised a hand to wave at Teddy.

"BE CAREFUL!" he shouted desperately. "DON'T FALL! BE CAREFUL, AUNTY GINNY!"

She couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but she could guess well enough. She responded with an exaggerated nod and then gave him a thumbs-up.

He blew her a kiss.

She caught it and pressed her hand to her heart.

* * *

"Oh no. It's okay. Don't cry." Teddy cupped Louis' face in his hands. "It was just an accident."

Louis couldn't stop his chin from trembling, no matter _what_ Teddy said. He squeezed his eyes shut and sobbed, prompting Teddy to hug him close. "Sh," he murmured. "I said it's alright, didn't I?" He patted Louis' back slowly. "We'll tell Grandma Molly and she won't get mad. She can fix _anything_. She'll understand." He brushed his lips against Louis' forehead. "If you're crying, that means that you're really sorry, right?"

"Mhm." Louis pressed his grubby fists to his eyes. He was _very_ sorry.

"Come on. We'll go together. Don't be sad." Teddy led Louis down the stairs. "Just don't tell her that we were playing with exploding marbles."

"Okay."

"Cause then Uncle George is gonna be in _big_ trouble."

* * *

"You look _magical_."

Luna beamed at Teddy. "Thank you." She leaned forward to meet his eye. "I feel magical too."

"Do you want to dance?" He held his hand out.

"Why, yes!" She took his hand and stood up. "That would be lovely."

Teddy led her onto the crowded dance floor, cutting a line straight to the middle. Everyone made way for Luna since her brightly illuminated dress of green and lavender would be _quite_ hard to miss. The bride and groom shared a private smile before stepping back a bit as well.

Teddy turned to Luna again and bowed before bringing her hand up to his lips for a gentlemanly kiss. She curtsied in turn, flaring her dress with ease to reveal more of its odd shimmering material.

Then they proceeded to cut the rug with wild abandon.

* * *

Harry smiled lazily when he felt a kiss on his lips and he cracked an eye open. Teddy crawled on top of him, sighing tiredly when he was wrapped up in a comfortable hug. "Just one hour, okay?" Harry whispered. He was met with a quiet grumble and, soon afterwards, heavy breathing. "Hmm…" He closed his eyes again, matching his breaths to Teddy's.


End file.
